binoculars for birding: 2009

Holiday Edition - Thinking About Thankful Things

Wow, can't believe it's been over a month since I last posted! Sorry, y'all -- I was on the road and then the holidays got here and now...it's almost Christmas!Here I am addressing a marketing breakout session at this year's annual Cat Writers Assn. conference in White Plains, NY, just before Thanksgiving. I met some fabulous new friends and decided to join the group. What a passionate and fun

Grab a hanky...

A friend of mine sent this link to me today, and now I'm sitting here with tears in my eyes. This was one of the most lucid, and just plain true, pieces I've ever read on the subject of dogs.It's an excerpt from the book Old Dogs Are the Best Dogs, text by Gene Weingarten and Michael S. Willamson, based on a longer excerpt that originally appeared in The Washington Post.There is one passage in it

We Have A Winner...

...in our Khyra Khares Khontest! Well...actually, two. Or three, depending on how you look at it. :)The beautiful Scout and Freyja over at Loving For A Living were the first to reply, saying the project will be called the UGA Veterinary Training Hospital, and they're trying to raise $10 million. But then I realized my question was, what was the name of the FUND, not the project itself.That

It's Nice to Share.

Hey, Y'all -Sorry I've been AWOL for two weeks! I took a much-needed brief vacation to beautiful Cape Cod (the New York Thruway at this time of year is just full of incredible scenic beauty!). Then we weren't back even a week when both humans here at Hill House came down with God-knows-what; some kind of flu.Is it the H1N1 or "swine flu" form? Not sure (and is it just me, or does that name read "

Another new book to check out!

Well, it may be a bad year for lots of things -- including the publishing industry at large -- but it's certainly been a good one for books about special critters! Here's the latest in the bumper crop:TO THE RESCUE: Found Dogs with a Mission will be available from Skyhorse Publishing on November 1. This beautifully designed hardcover has a Foreword by daytime talk show host Bonnie Hunt.It's the

Take THAT, Michael Vick!

Because the press can't resist any level of sensationalism, it pretty much seems like any story involving a pit bull has some measure of horror to it. They usually don't bother to cover the ones where the pit bull is the hero, but this one's different. Yes, there is an element of horror, but in the end, the dog prevails.According to yesterday's Chicago Tribunal:By all accounts, Red is a great

We're In Good Company!

We've been promoting Almost Perfect as the only book of its kind so far, devoted solely to a collection of disabled pets. There are several books devoted only to disabled dogs or other single species, or to one specific handicapped pet, and you should definitely check these out, too (especially our friend Frankie, the Walk 'n Roll Dog, who just got a great review over at Dawn Kairns' blog).But so

Meet Yu Chan, An Almost Perfect Turtle

A little over a year ago Yu Chan, a 20-year-old loggerhead turtle, became entwined in fishermen's nets in the Kii channel in Japan. Her wounds indicated she had also been attacked by a shark. She'd lost half of one forelimb, and a third of the other. She was brought to the Sea Turtle Association of Japan, which uses a saltwater pond near Kobe Airport for some of their work. Loggerhead turtles

Sticky gets a new home!

It's been a bad month in Philly for animals. Among other things, some stupid dude duct-taped a small gray tiger cat from neck to toes and left her to die. Thankfully, he didn't finish the job by covering her breathing apparatus, and someone called animal rescue, so she was saved.Here's the happy story, telling how "Sticky" was rehabbed and adopted by some kind family.This is the kind of thing

The Counselors Are In

Found an interesting post over at Divine Caroline's blog about Rolling Dog Ranch, a great animal sanctuary we've mentioned on here before. But for those who haven't read about them, it's a great little refresher piece. Check out "Counselors Help Families Care for Their Disabled Pets." I think you'll dig it!

Happy Birthday, Super Man.

Christopher Reeve, Actor and Activist, 1952-2004Today would have been Christopher Reeve's 57th birthday. Though I enjoyed the first Superman movie and his time-travel romance, "Somewhere In Time" (best part: the soundtrack), I can't say I was a huge fan of his film work.Oh, he was a good enough actor. But it was what he chose to do after he became paralyzed by a fall from a horse that I consider

A Dragon Lives Forever...But Not So, Little Girls

Mary Travers, 1936-2009Late last night, just before shutting down my computer, I learned I had lost someone who was very important in my early life.Mary Travers, one-third of the trio "Peter, Paul and Mary," left us yesterday. She had battled leukemia for years, and I'm glad she's no longer suffering. But oh, how I will miss her, and them together.PP&M's music is THE soundtrack to my childhood,

Of Great Redeeming Value

After the wrenching story of Edwina and my subsequent rant, I want to share with you something my dear friend Sandy sent me. Somehow my friends always know when to show up in my life, and I am so incredibly thankful. Please enjoy the healing of this video -- I hope it has a similar effect on you. :)

Okay, I just can't even stand this...

WARNING: ANGRY FEMINIST RANT. Today's is not a happy post. You may wanna skip this one.--My new cyber-friend, Dusty Rainbolt (yes, it's her real name - wish mine was something interesting like that!), sent me a FaceBook invitation to join her "Helping Edwina" cause. I checked it out and it made me absolutely, physically ill late last night.It's another example of a sick, twisted human willfully

TRIUMPH! A Tale of Many Cities

Thanks for all the feedback on my Aug. 31st post about Molly and all the sweet critters that have been helped with their own set of wheels. I got a great suggestion from Khyra the Siberian Husky (and sometimes her mom) not to forget about Triumph, another husky who has absolutely earned her name by coming through the most amazing of difficult circumstances with flying colors. So I want to share

Wheels Are Wonderful!

The Mollinator in healthier timesThis post is in memory of Molly, our next-door neighbor, who lost her struggle with old age and a host of worsening ailments last Thursday. She was a beautiful soul and a Lab from nose to tail. I adored her.We moved into our current home more than ten years ago, and Molly came to our neighbors not long before. So when she had to leave it was strange, because she

Puppy Update

Okay, y'all - just wanted to update you on my cousin Chris' new dog. Her name is now officially "GoGo!" And it fits her lively little Jack Russell self. Spoke with Chris yesterday and GoGo is adjusting well to her new home and surroundings. She has already been on several walks through the little tourist town where she lives, and is already making friends. I see good times ahead for Chris and

A very LARGE disabled pet...

Well, okay. Maybe not a pet, exactly. But nevertheless, Motola is a disabled animal who belongs to someone, even if it's someone she worked for.48-year-old Motola just got a new leg!Ten years ago, Motola was seriously damaged when she stepped on one of the many stray landmines left over from several wars. She survived the blast, but lost her left front leg while working in a logging camp on

Woo Hoo! A Promotion Comes Home To Roost!

Well, sometimes things just work out, ya know?I am so very, VERY pleased and happy to report that my cousin, Chris Snyder, took to heart the message of "Adopt A Less-Adoptable Pet Day" and went out and adopted herself the cutest little Jack Russell terrier today! I went with her to pick her up and all I can say is WOW!You see, Chris had another Jack for 13 years. Her name was Nip, and she did

An Easy Way to Promote the Xolos!

Pink, who's missing a leg, still manages to help others.If you've read our book, Almost Perfect, you've read a great little piece by Sharon Sakson about Nancy Gordon, who suffers from chronic fibromyalgia. Her dogs, Pink and Toaster, are Mexican Hairless dogs, also known as Xoloitzcuintlee (pronouned "show-low-eats-queent-lee").Toaster, Pink's mom, also serves as a therapy dog.Because they're

Today is "Adopt A Less-Adoptable Pet Day!"

Yesterday's guest blogger, our own Roberta Beach Jacobson, alerted me to the fact that today is a very special day, and I wanted to let you know about it.Tabby's Place helps lots of less-than-adoptable kitties find forever homes.Petfinder.com has designated August 12 as "Adopt A Less-Adoptable Pet Day."They even have a special page on their website in recognition of this special day, with all

Meet Brownie: From guest blogger Roberta Beach Jacobson

Today's post is from guest blogger Roberta Beach Jacobson. Roberta is a contributor to Almost Perfect: Disabled Pets and the People Who Love Them. She wrote the final piece in the book, Fritz: Pink Ears, Red Tape, about her experience with a cat whose ears were terminally sunburned from the intense sunshine on her home Greek island of Karpathos. With the help of her husband, Alf Meier, she runs

Happy Birthday to Tashi!

Back in May, we held a celebration of Be Kind to Animals Week here in Bucks County. Hosted by our gracious friends at Lackland Self Storage and Office Suites here in Ottsville, the event was an amazing success. We invited the community to watch a half-hour digital slide presentation about disabled pets, then enjoy free refreshments as we had a meet-and-greet with our Word Forge Books authors and

Are your pets afraid of storms?

You know, I think it varies as much as it does with children and adult humans, whether pets are afraid of thunderstorms. But our recent rash of severe weather got me to thinking about how different it is for special needs pets--especially those with physical disabilities--to cope with this common fear.Winkie and Boo Kitty often cuddle on the deep sill of our stone farmhouseAs much of a weather

Fame Finds Frankie!

Frankie has an important new job!Woot! Woot!Guess what, folks? Everybody's favorite dachsie-on-wheels, Frankie the Walk n' Roll Dog, has been named the official mascot of National Disabled Pets Day, the newly minted observation by the Animal Miracle Network! Check out their website, where you'll see an absolutely ADORABLE photo of Frankie and her mom, Barbara Techel.We covered Frankie a while

Here's Something Just A Little Different...

Here's one from the "curiouser and curiouser" file -- but lots of fun and a good example of how animals so enrich our lives. These particular pets aren't disabled, but many of those they help to heal are. From the Pet Tales column of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:Therapy dogs 'wed,' with home residents as witnessesPam Panchak/Post-Gazette The groom, clad in black top hat and tails, stood solemnly

Great news from our neck of the woods

When I'm not writing or blogging or playing with my kitties, I am the volunteer weather coordinator for our township's Emergency Management Agency. Have been for about 6-7 years now. And in that capacity, I occasionally go to trainings at our county training center.Last year, I learned about a new program called BCART, or Bucks County Animal Response Team. I was thrilled to learn that there was a

Woodson and We

John Grogan, author of Marley & MeMost of you have heard of John Grogan. He's the author of the runaway (pun intended) bestseller, Marley & Me.What you may not have heard is that he's now got a new yellow lab named Woodson. Turns out Grogan's a fellow Pennsylvanian (go, Keystone State!), and when he adopted Woodson, a 15-week-old ball of fur, from the set of the movie made from his book, the pup

Good news for disabled pets!

Maybe things ARE changing for the better, at least a little. We've often mentioned on this blog the fact that disabled pets have a difficult time getting adopted from shelters, and how they constitute the majority of euthanized animals. But today I discovered some GOOD news on this topic and want to share it with you!Dr. Walton Schalick, a physical and medical historian at the University of

Good night, sweet prince...

Anyone who knows me even a little bit knows that I can be a little obsessive. Nothing indiscriminate; I'm particular about these obsessions -- animals, art, weather, chocolate -- but they are obsessions, nevertheless. And weather, particularly severe weather, is one of the biggies for me. And so, when I read about the recent passing of Nin, the mascot kitty of the weather observatory atop New

Adios, Gidget. Te amo, little friend.

A bit off-topic here, but significant news in Critterland, nonetheless:Today we say goodbye to dear little Gidget, who crossed the Rainbow Bridge yesterday after succumbing to a stroke at 15. She passed at the Los Angeles home of her longtime trainer, Sue Chipperton.Gidget is probably better known to most folks as the Taco Bell Chihuahua. Playing a male, beret-wearing spokesdog for the

Bullfighting - What Do You Think?

Okay, apparently I'm just a chatty little wench tonight, because I'm on the third post of the evening...But I was reading about a book that has something to do with Spain and its famous matadors and bullfighting and Hemingway, etc. -- all that excessively butch stuff. And of course, bullfighting is one of those just absolutely lovely inventions of man (and yeah, it's a guy thing -- I just can't

Puck Needs Help.

Okay, I already posted today, but this is something that can't wait, so I'm adding it now:Kayla and PuckI'm posting about a cat named Puck, who I learned about on Twitter. I'm telling you right now, I don't know this cat, I don't know Kayla, his mom, and I can't even vouch for the veracity of the story. All I can tell you is that I read the blog post at the end of this link and I thought, "There

From Chop Shop to Edward Scissorhands

Warning: This one's a little hard to take,until you learn of the happy ending.Eddie“We got this phone call from Escambia County Animal Control and they asked us if we could take a dog whose feet, ears and tail had been cut off,” said Nikki Headley, co-manager of New Beginnings, Destin, Florida’s newest no-kill shelter for disabled pets. Eddie was brought to a shelter in Pensacola on July 5 by a

Ivan - A Love Story

Every once in a while, Barb Techel over at Joyful Paws lets loose with one of her "Occasional Paws" feature stories. I just had to share this recent one about Ivan the Beagle, because it so perfectly embodies what we're about here at Almost Perfect Pets.Those of you who've been following for a while might recognize Barb's name - we featured her blog a bit ago: You know, the one about Frankie, the

A Neat Publication For You to Check Out!

When Almost Perfect came out last year, one of the first publications to let readers know about it was Bay Woof, a free monthly newspaper for San Francisco Bay area dog lovers.This kewl color paper ran an excerpt in its December, 2008 issue of Bay area resident Vicki Tiernan's essay about her dog Ruby, which is the cover story in our anthology. Yes, that's the irrepressible Ruby, proudly

Catch me on Steve Dale's Pet World Radio this Saturday!

Hey, Y'all -Well, Steve did call me and we had a nice chat about disabled pets and our book, Almost Perfect. Turns out it was not live, but being taped, so sorry if anyone tried to tune in and couldn't figure out what was going on.What a nice guy. He really cares about critters. And boy, 15 minutes sure flies by fast when you're talking about things you care passionately about! I was bummed not

Listen for us on Steve Dale's PetWorld Radio Show!

Okay, y'all. Here's one I owe to Ms. Vicki for "suggesting" I send a copy of Almost Perfect to Steve Dale, longtime pet champion, now at Chicago's WLS radio station. Apparently, he dug it, because I got a call today asking if I'd do an interview about the book today at noon CST. Gee, I think I could manage that...Steve DaleFor those of you not familiar with Steve's show, it's called PetWorld

No More Homeless Pets

One of the most incredible groups working for the humane treatment of companion animals is Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah. You may be familiar with the organization through the TV show Dogtown on the National Geographic Channel. (If you're not, you don't know what you're missing!) Word Forge Books, our publishing house, is a member of Best Friends and supports the work of this

Contest Winner Announced!

Hey, thanks to everyone who wrote in with their guesses on who's older, Idgie or me. The correct answer -- according to my source -- is that it's me, by 4 years.The first one to send the correct answer was my friend and fellow creative, Tony Gleeson. Tony's a professional illustrator, bibliophile and all-around good guy. I've known him now for going on 20 years, and the weird thing is...we've

Double Birthday, and the gift is for YOU!

Bewildered birthday girl: 48??? I don't THINK so...Today I turn 48 years old. I have no idea how that happened. But at least I'm in good company!The Birthday Queen awakens from her nap on the windowsill.Joining me in our birthday celebration is Idgie, who turns 7 today. We don't really know what her actual birthday is, since she's a rescue, but we figured it was sometime in June -- so why not

Case solved?

Does this look like the face of a serial cat murderer? Think again.I'm somewhat relieved to report that authorities believe they've caught the serial cat killer in Miami. Read the rest on Gina Spadafori's Pet Connection. I say "Somewhat" because they don't know if this is the guy for sure, they don't know if he's the only one, and -- worst of all -- if he IS the one, what does it say about a

Too disturbing for words

Why, yes...I DO feel like I'm going to be sick -- how about you?Sweet little tuxedo Tommy, before he was tortured and killed by some sick freak.Seriously...a feline serial killer. Yet another good reason for people to keep their cats indoors.Is there no end to the evil that our species is capable of? And they call the animals "beasts." I don't believe in Hell (at least not in the traditional

Disabled, Not Disposable.

Repeat after me: Special needs pets are disabled, not disposable. Now, memorize it and repeat as often as necessary to well-meaning friends and family members, neighbors and co-workers, who think you're nuts to spend so much time, money and energy on helping your "almost perfect" pet have a better quality of life.Lisa StahrBut don't take it from me: take it from Lisa Stahr, someone who's spent a

Hey, Folks! Help Dokes!

Hi, everyone. Here's something I never want to report, but I need to: a newly disabled pet.On Sunday, May 24, the L.A. apartment of Jessica Amen and Kyle Kushner was devastated by an enormous fire that started by accident near their stove. They lost nearly everything they owned and loved, including their wonderful cat, Riggs.Little burned Dokes lost his house and his best friend.Their second cat,

New Book on Communicating With Animals!

My friend and fellow author Dawn Baumann Brunke has just released her newest book, Animal Voices, Animal Guides. I saw it on the show floor at Book Expo America last weekend, and was excited to see she's doing so well.I've known Dawn since we worked together at NorthWord Press in 1991 (Dawn, could it be almost 20 years now!!!???). There, we collaborated on a series of four coloring books for

Super story, semi-disabled

Only one of the dogs in this story is disabled, and that mostly by old age. But I just had to share this heartwarming tale!Blewett, Altruistic Animal Hero!PLAIN, Chelan County, OR - Blewett, a dog rescued in March at Blewett Pass, has become a rescue dog. Dozens of people tried to rescue the black Lab this winter after he was seen huddling in the snow at the top of Blewett Pass for a week. Wary

Mighty Maty: Star material?

Maty at the Hotel MuranoIndependent filmmaker Geoff Talbot is in the process of making a movie about a plucky, three-legged dog named Scrap, titled Lucky & Rich. He's on a hunt for the perfect pooch to play the lead role, and right now, you can vote for one of the contenders.I'd like to bias the vote just a bit by introducing you to Maty, one of the pups being considered for the role. This

From Endangered to Empowered

The term "disabled" can mean many things. There are lots of ways in which a creature can be disabled. In terms of this story, the "disability" was that of leatherback sea turtles being unable to live and reproduce in peace, due to fishing, pollution and -- mainly -- to being hunted for their meat, flippers and eggs -- the latter believed by some to have aphrodisiac qualities.On a personal note, I

Social Media Saves a Disabled Dog!

Okay, I admit it: I've caught the Twitter bug. I've been spending a LOT of time on this web-based, mini-blogging app that I once disdained as silly and useless. But at that time, it pretty much WAS silly and useless - just a place for friends to catch up on each other's lives in 140 characters or less.But when I'm not wearing my author or publisher hat, I'm a marketing consultant, and about two

A Memorial Day Tribute: Senior Pets

Today is a national holiday in America, when we remember the men and women of our armed forces who have fallen in battle or who were lost while playing supportive roles for those on the battlefield. I want to say thank you to all the people who gave their children and brothers and sisters and moms and dads and other relatives to us—their larger American family—to do what needed to be done,

Dear Deja: A Sad Farewell

A sweet memory: Deja at the beachAs I get ready to have a multi-day, out-of-office experience (read: a working vacation), I find I must sign off on a sad note today.Four years ago, my sister and I took off for some bonding time alone, away from our families, to grieve the loss of our mom. We visited a beautiful, wonderful private retreat now called Villa La Bella. It's an American-owned bed &

A Saturday Smile - Pets, Creativity and Healing

Disability can come in many forms -- not just physical -- for animals and humans. Sometimes psychic trauma leaves greater disability than any physical malfunction can cause. It's much more difficult to tell if an animal is emotionally damaged than it is with people, since people can verbalize what they're feeling. But if you pay attention, you can certainly tell when a critter has been

A Friday Fave - Gracie

Today we're taking a break from special needs topics and simply recognizing one example of why any pet can make our lives more enjoyable and inspiring. Here's to good ol' Gracie.

Woo-Hoo! Another of our authors makes a splash!

Our own Cheryl Caruolo is making headlines in her Boston-area hometown blog, Wicked Local! She talks about her piece, Battle for Life: Krieg, that appears in our Almost Perfect anthology.Little Krieg, the runt of his litter, didn't standmuch of a chance when he was born. This affecting piece about how a runt-of-the-litter German shepherd managed to beat the odds to live a fulfilling, inspiring

Come. Sit. Stay!

What an original and excellent idea! Artist Kimberly Kelly Santini is an artist, specializing in pet portraiture. She has been painting daily dogs (and cats and horses and guinea pigs and bunnies) since 2006. Proceeds from the sale of these paintings support Kim and often animal-related causes, as well. Anyone who knows what it takes to create ANY kind of work of art—much less skillfully

Ruby Runs Again in San Francisco

...well, at least in the pages of its paper, the San Francisco Chronicle!Our own Vicki Tiernan, who wrote about her wonder dog, Ruby, in Almost Perfect, was interviewed on Chronicle writer Eileen Mitchell's Pet Tales blog in mid-March. It happened amid a flurry of PR work going on here at the Word Forge Books/Enspirio House offices, and I neglected to get the story posted here.So—hoping that

Roberta Makes Headlines for Greek Animals!

Roberta Beach Jacobson, one of the illustrious contributors to our Almost Perfect anthology, has made the front page of the Greece & Cyprus area of the Best Friends Network website with her story, "The Sea Dog of Karpathos Island."Opi and friendIt's a heartwarming, true story of Roberta and her husband, Alf, adopting a scruffy little one-eyed dog. Roberta and Alf are cofounders of Animal Welfare

Keeping Pets From Becoming Disabled

Fellow author Christina Selter is a pet safety expert and founder of Bark Buckle UP, a pet restraint manufacturer and advocate for pet travel safety. With its slogan "Be Smart, Ride Safe™," Bark Buckle UP tours the US and Canada, educating people about and promoting awareness of pet safety while traveling with pets.National safety statistics conclude the number of pets traveling in vehicles is at

Philadelphia Examiner Review!

Well, our pal Megan Drake has read Almost Perfect and decided that she likes it! We're tickled pink, and send her our thanks for letting the world know!I had the great good fortune to meet Megan in person last night at the little bash we threw to celebrate Be Kind To Animals Week at the nearby office park that also serves as our warehouse. We had a packed room for the video presentation and a

A Nearby Friend

Shout out to a new supporter and friend: Welcome Megan Drake, the Philadelphia Dog Advocate Examiner. Megan blogs about all things dog at the Philly Examiner's site. She heard about us via our KYW1060am podcast last week and is very excited about Almost Perfect! In fact, she's so excited about it, she couldn't even wait to get her review copy before giving our little book a thumbs up for a

Oh, Hooray! We're Official!

BeanieI learned this morning via Franny's Cats Blog that the Animal Miracle Network had succeeded in getting May 3 recognized as National Disabled Pets Day! This is such a wonderful thing. It helps all of us who know the importance of raising awareness of the plight of special needs animals everywhere. And it'll be a great reason to celebrate Almost Perfect again next year, so thanks, AMN!Visit

Be Kind to Animals Week is Coming!

That's right! May 3-10 is National Be Kind To Animals Week in America, and we're celebrating with our own little event right here in Bucks County, Pennsylvania!The birth of humane education as a national effort dates back to 1915. In that year, “Be Kind to Animals Week” was inspired Dr. William O’Stillman, leader of the American Humane Association. AHA’s primary goals were visiting local schools

Lemon's on Tour!

Photo by Tim Jean, staff photographer, Andover TownsmanI've posted here about Lemon the duck before, but thought you might enjoy an update on her ramblings.Last week, Lemon visited the Professional Center for Child Development in Andover, Mass. He was accompanied by author Laura Backman, who wrote a children's book about him and read to the children there. PCCD teaches children of all abilities

Part of the Plan...

Though our almost perfect pets bring so much joy into our lives, eventually we all must deal with the grief of losing our pet, as our very different lifespans mean most of us will outlive our furry, feathery or scaly companions.Helping us deal with this inevitable event is Moira Anderson Allen's Pet Loss Support Page. This information-packed blog covers everything from quality of life and

Get a Dog!

I want to thank Khyra the Siberian Husky (and sometimes, her mom) for suggesting this wonderful snippet from last week's CBS Sunday Morning show.I saw this myself and -- for once -- actually agreed with Ben Stein (he and I are kind of polar opposites on the political spectrum, but apparently we're right there when it comes to critters). See? Even with politics, animals help us find the best of

Who's Zoomin' Who?

Photo courtesy The Washington PostDr. Patricia Fitzgerald is a licensed acupuncturist, certified clinical nutritionist, and a homeopath. She has a Master’s Degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine and a Doctorate in Homeopathic Medicine. She is the founder and Medical Director of the Santa Monica Wellness Center and her mission is to inspire others to live their passion, while creating and enjoying

Thanks, Roberta!

Well, bust my buttons! I'm holding my head up high this morning -- this blog has been given the Sisterhood Award by fellow author and blogger Roberta Beach Jacobson (also a contributor to Almost Perfect!).Roberta blogs over at the Seattle Post Intelligencer site, and had this to say:Almost Perfect PetsMary Shafer is a wonder who balances twenty projects at once. Her blog offers a pleasing

Roll On Over...

...to Julie Cardinali's awesome blog, The Pet Dish, at the online home of the Syracuse (NY) Post-Standard newspaper.There, Julie dishes all the news that is news about pets, from puppy mills and rescue groups to our fave subject, disabled pets. Stop by and see what's being served in The Pet Dish!

It's the Cat's Meow!

Craig Grant walks with some of the 500 cats who reside at the Caboodle Ranch in Lee, Fla. (Pet Pulse Photo by Joe Bonner)In Florida, one man has carved out 30 acres to provide a home to nearly 500 unwanted felines, including "almost perfect" ones. They travel from far and wide to settle into their elaborate sanctuary, Caboodle Ranch. The founder of the ranch fronts all of the facility's costs out

Friends...Best Friends

My favorite movie is a sweet southern confection called "Fried Green Tomatoes," based on the intriguing book by Fannie Flagg.Starring Jessica Tandy and Kathy Bates, this movie is essentially about friendship in all its different guises and intensities. In fact, in the last line of the movie, Tandy's character, Ninny Threadgoode, tells Bates' character, Evelyn Couch: "You reminded me of what the

Freedom and Jeff

Here's a story that was passed along to me, and I want to share it here because it's not only about a disabled animal, it's also about the same theme as Almost Perfect: how damaged animals can not only inspire, but also help heal humans who take the time -- take the risk -- to open their hearts to these magnificent creatures. If this isn't the ultimate illustration of how karma works, then I

Tribute to an Almost Mom

Here's a beautiful and touching vid about Terry Albert. She wrote and narrates a poem, I Never Was a Mother, that expresses her love for animals and why she -- and so many others like her -- rescue homeless pets.It's clear from the photos in this vid that some of these animals are disabled, at least temporarily. Though Terry may never have been a mother, she certainly shows all the signs and

Maggie and Mitch - Because I Need Some Sanity

Okay, I admit it: I'm posting this solely because I need to add some sanity to the world. In the last hour, I've read about the unexpectedly steep increase in the melting of the polar ice caps; another mass shooting by some guy who lost his job; a little girl who disappeared from her home neighborhood; and now North Korea has launched a rocket and no one knows exactly why or what's on it.You know

New Legs!

Here's a sweetie from one of my favorite places on the web, LOLDogs! And fer all u kitteh luvrs, here's the place that started it all!

Potted Dog!

Okay, a break from the heavy stuff that sometimes characterizes this space. I have no other reason for posting this pic than that I think it is adorable and wanted to share it:Cats are notorious for squeezing themselves into spaces that can barely accommodate them, but apparently their canine companions share this penchant. At least one of them, anyway. Enjoy!And if you'd like to see more

A Deeper Connection With Animals

My friend and colleague, Dawn Baumann Brunke, is an accomplished writer and soul seeker. We've collaborated on a series of middle grade coloring books called Who Lives Here?, which I'm looking into having re-published. Meanwhile. Dawn's been exploring how humans can connect on a deeper level with animals through her "Animal Voices" book series. Some of the material delves into dealing with

Frankie, the Walk n' Roll Dog!

Barbara Techel blogs about her fabulous little dachshund, Frankie, at Joyful Paws, which is an extension of her website. Frankie suffered a ruptured vertebrae that paralyzed her back legs and now she rolls along instead of walking. And yes -- we see that Frankie also has velvet ears!Barbara was so inspired by Frankie's zest for life that she wrote about it in an award-winning children's

Yes, sometimes it's actually funny.

Most of us who were raised with any manners at all were taught not to laugh at those who are different. And disability is not often funny. But in this case, you can hardly keep from laughing.Monster the Cat has a vocal cord condition that makes it sound like he's singing when he yawns, and, well...it's funny! And since he's not suffering at all, you don't have to feel bad laughing. Take a look

Zoe, the Earless Kitten

Here's a touching story with a moral lesson and a happy ending. And it's now been made into a book - one written by a young girl. Great to see such a young person sticking up for the rights of animals and actually doing something to make things better. You GO, Lexy!

No-Kill Shelters and Animal Adoptions

Check out Jana's blog, "Writing Today's Wrongs." She blogs on all kinds of things, as she explains: "This blog is dedicated to the many moral issues in American society that need action. The main danger to the rights and lives of humans and animals is lack of general knowledge by the public! This blog will try to right the wrongs of today by giving readers factual information and weapons to fight

Deaf Dogs from Down Under!

Here's Three Happy Heelers, a kewl blog from my friend Dooby over on the TreasureTime metal detecting forums.He and his wife have three Australian shepherds, heelers. Two of them -- Louie and Callie -- can't hear, but Dooby says that's ALL they can't do! Gus seems to be the leader of all things rompy and fun. Give 'em a visit, okay?

Hind Over Matter: Tashi the paraplegic kitten learns to walk!

Go Tashi! Here's a hopeful tale from our own neck of the woods:RINGOES, N.J. -- A medical marvel in more ways than one, Tashi the kitten was born with a congenital spinal cord condition that paralyzed his hind legs. But Tashi, unaware of his handicap, is still making every effort to walk.Rescued from a feral cat colony in Ohio, nearly 6-month-old Tashi recently arrived at Tabby's Place, a

Well, I'll be dogged!

Not necessarily about disabled pets, but about all kinds of dog subjects that could include such a topic is reiki practitioner Beth Lowell's blog, "My Life With Dogs." She writes about the life she shares with her dogs, Dasher and Bella, and a host of friends and neighbrs of varying species.Conversational, varied, interesting and written with a genuine voice, this dog blog is a real treat for dog

Special Pet Space

Where your special pet is precious...Most pet owners would do just about anything for their four-legged friends. A woman in Rosharon, Texas, has helped hundreds of pet owners by developing a device that helps dogs get around. A devastating medical diagnosis for Laurie Miller's beloved dachshund, Penny, who had surgery for a ruptured disk and could no longer walk, led to she and her husband coming

In The Interest of Preventing More Pet Disabilities...

Okay, here's one in the vein of trying to keep more animals (and others!) from becoming disabled due to unnecessary injuries:The UK website, Fit For Life, carries this tidbit from the November 3, 2007 edition of Veterinary Record, the British medical journal. It was contributed by vet Graham Campbell, who asked for it to be as widely publicized as possible. (If you're squeamish, read with care

Help for People With Special Needs Pets

Caring for pets with special needs does not have to be a burden. It can be a richly rewarding experience, as shown in our book Almost Perfect: Disabled Pets and the People Who Love Them. But being the "parent" of pets with physical handicaps or other challenges does require a big heart, patience, and -- sometimes -- specialized knowledge.The love, compassion and patience are up to you, but we'd

Bridging species - and a spinal cord injury

Bella and Tara, a love story. You really can't call it anything else. And we've all heard of animal love stories, but one between a dog and an elephant? Check it out for yourself:

Almost Too Sweet To Believe - But True!

There's a new children's book out, intended to tell the story of Hurricane Katrina to young, impressionable audiences who could be easily frightened by such a terror-filled tale. But journalists Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery join illustrator Jean Cassels in presenting the whole scary scenario inside The Two Bobbies, the based-on-real-life story of Bob Cat and Bobbi.The story, aimed at a

Just Another Reason I'm Proud to be a Pennsylvanian

I've always thought of the Keystone State as a big-hearted kinda place, and here's a story to prove it's not just because it's my home state:Canine Corps Helps Pets Left Behind During WartimeThere's a place in Perry County where some four-legged friends are just looking for a little love and attention. These days, the "Paw Prints Dog Sanctuary" is more than just a rest home of sorts for older

A Whole Community of Us!

That's right - there's a place on the web that has all kinds of information for folks who've taken a Very Special Pet into their hearts and homes. HandicappedPets.com has something for everyone: products to help pets walk, stay dry, heal, travel safely. Products to help you help your pets stay healthy and fit, things for them to wear, information to help you when they cross that Rainbow Bridge.

Just for Fun

Okay, this post has absolutely nothing to do with disabled pets. I just had to post it because it cracks me up and I thought it would be a fun way to start out the New Year. Kittens really are adorable, but they can also be hilarious. My favorite thing is when they get all revved up and do what we call "Sideways Kitty." If you've ever had a cat, you know what I'm talking about. If not and you've